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Calla lillies coming up in my zone 6 raised garden bed.

8 years ago

I have planted zone 8 hardy Calla lillies 2 years ago in my zone6 raised bed. As said, I planted Calla lillies 2 years ago in a raised bed right next to our brick house, which faces North. I just saw the Calla lillies coming up from the soil yesterday. They have come up each spring since we planted them. They were a little late this year though. I can just say that for those planting Calla Lillies in raised beds, and IF YOU MULCH those raised beds, you just MAY get those Callas to come up in that raised bed again for the growing season. If you plant Calla Lillies in a raised bed, and mulch the soil in the raised bed well, you will have more success in having the Calla lillies come up in summer for you.

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dfaustclancy

4 years ago

Hi Poaky1, What type of callas are you talking about? I'm assuming you are referring to the white ones, which are called zantedeschia aethiopica - quite a mouthful! I grow mine in pots, then just bring the entire pot into the house after first frost and leave them in the dirt all the time, through winter, spring, summer and fall, never removing them. After I bring them outdoors in May, they bloom just fine if I give the pot enough sun. I've also read that they need high phosphorus to bloom well, so maybe you should try some phosphorus on your plants. I'm jealous that you've had yours overwintering in the garden. Mine in the pots have produced quite a few babies so I will break apart the soil this year in the pot and separate a baby from his mom and try to plant in the garden, very very deep as I am in Zone 5.

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Comments (8)

poaky1
Original Author
8 years ago
Well, the Callas leaves came up thickly, but, strangely, only one flower bloomed. so go figure. Poaky1
marquest
8 years ago
I grow them in pots and set them in the garden. They are very easy to store over the winter. Just place them in the back of the laundry room and they go out the 1st of May every year. Bloom June - July.

My zone 6 is a zone 5 some winters. Which probably happened to your raised garden. Winter was really harsh last year.
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poaky1
Original Author
8 years ago
Well, Marquest they came up fine again, but only one bloom again. There's nice thick leaves, but one 1 stinkin flower. Maybe next year I should try some fert with high mag or which element helps with flowers. Poaky1
poaky1
Original Author
7 years ago
The leaves have come up again in our raised bed garden on the northern side of our house. I ha ve put some fert under the Calla plants, but, they are in mostly shade, so who knows how they will do as far as any flowers.
poaky1
Original Author
6 years ago
This spring they didn't come up. I didn't renew the mulch last fall, I'm guessing that's why. I've replanted 3 new plants about 4-5 inches below the soil level and remulched. I think they should be okay now. I really should have planted them in more sun, they didn't bloom very well in the past, just a couple blooms and a lotta foliage.
poaky1
Original Author
4 years ago
Update, I am still getting them coming up in that same bed, when I had posted 2 years ago above they hadn't come up yet, BUT, they did eventually. I am going to have to dig them up and replant in another raised bed in more sun. I had a bunch of them come up in the other bed in more sun and they bloomed since they had full sun. I need to move them because my Columbine got so fat that the Calla lilies are coming up and the Columbine is hogging up most of the bed. I guess I should wait til fall to dig and move them. They'd surely die if I tried now in the heat of summer, and it sure is hot this summer now. 90's in SW Pa.
poaky1
Original Author
4 years ago
Mine are Pink flowered IF I recall correctly. I had a planting of them that didn't bloom much since they were in mostly shade BUT my last years ones which I spoke of above, they were Pink and did bloom well. I am zone 6a, BUT, this winter has been a zone 7b winter so far, and they are in a raised bed, like the ones in shade are also, so, I am expecting them to be fine also, and bloom well. I will use some Bone meal since you said to. I may just use a herbicide to kill off those that are in the bed with the Columbine, since they will be too hard to move without also killing the Columbines.

I bet that if YOU tried a raised bed and made it at least 1 foot deep and then mulched it, then YOU could keep Calla lillies over winter in that bed too. I could be very wrong too, though. Later. Stay healthy BTW.

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